The Runaway Groom
by Obsidian-Snow-Eyes
Summary: Draco runs away to avoid marriage, and escapes into the middle of raging muggledom. Incomplete! Please R&R CHAPTER FOUR UP! W00T!
1. Chapter 1

**The Runaway Groom.**

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter (or happy potter!)

**Authors Notes.**

**This is the first fic I've posted, so please be kind. Honest, but kind. I know this thing is probably riddled with grammar mistakes and alike so if you find any don't be afraid to say. Review!**

**I decided to change this a day after posting because I didn't want Harry and Draco to be together in the beginning, and just so I could add bits in here and there. So, now I'm done. Enjoy!**

** ObsidianSnowEyes **

.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-

"We've been together fifteen years…and for none of them I've been happy. When I had Draco, it was wonderful, but for barely longer than a month. Lucius, I don't want a divorce…neither of us would compromise our delicate position like that, but I do want freedom for him. Keep me caged in your glasshouse forever, I won't mind, just let him go. Let him have the freedom of is youth; please…don't force him into this marriage."

"But my hands are bound, Ciss. He was promised on his first birthday to the service of the Dark Lord, and that is promise I cannot break. If it is the Dark Lord's wishes that he must consent to marriage with Severus then that is what he must do…"

"What if he were to escape us? To runaway?"

"Then he would be a fool."

Narcissa sighed and was about to leave the room, when she stopped and fingered a delicately crafted silver box containing a 12th generation Malfoy heirloom.

"Will you allow him food today?" She asked, trying to keep her tone light.

"No, Narcissa, and you will not go against my word and give him any."

"At least can I see him?" She begged desperately, her mask of composure temporality lifting, revealing the pained and distraught mother underneath.

"Yes, but only to persuade him. In the meantime, I shall go to Severus and invite him to dinner. If our son consents, he may sit to dinner and begin the formal courting process. If not…." Narcissa winced all too obviously remembering the screams that issued from Draco's room the last time he refused a dinner with Snape.

Lucius was first to break the heavy silence. "I must go, but I shall be back at around sunset. You may need to wake him, he seemed …exhausted when I left." Narcissa nodded mutely, refusing to pass comment and let her internal anger out.

In a flare of green fire, the Senior Malfoy disappeared and left Narcissa alone in room. She glanced over her shoulder before briskly walking down the hall to the very end of the corridor, to a small door with several heavy muggle bolts (enhanced to repel magic) on. She softly slid them back wincing almost guiltily at the metal scrap.

"Draco? Draco, are you awake?" she whispered softly to the sparse room.

"Yes," came the weak reply from the bed. Draco tried to smile at his mother, but found that the recently acquired bruises on his face prevented him from doing so. He bit back a wince at the stab of pain from his rib when he moved to comfort his mother.

"Draco, your Father will be back at sunset. He will need to see you for a moment at that time to know that I didn't let you go, then we will have dinner, and he will return when our guest has left. A house elf shall bring you a small amount of potion in an hour, take ¼ of it before your father sees you, and it will make you stronger, then when he has left wait 20 minutes before taking the rest. On the bottom shelf of the pantry, there is a bag prepared with a week and a half's food, to blankets and several changes of clothes. You broom has been broken, and both your fathers and mine have anti-theft on them. During the 2-hour dinner tonight, you need to get as far away as possible from the Manor. The closer you are the more danger you are in. Usually on the mantelpiece, in the Main Lounge, there is a silver box do you know it?" Draco nodded, his silvery grey eyes alert as he absorbed all the information. "It will be down in the kitchen, for cleaning. All the charms of course will have been removed. Take that box with you."

"Why would I need it? What's in there?" Draco asked, a creased marring his brow as he frowned.

"You wrote to me for the past two terms of your liking of with someone. Should you chance to meet this person of yours, or find another and fall in love, the box is a symbol of my permission, and blessing on your relationship."

Draco tried to smile again. "What if that persons not Slytherin?"

"Then be happy, free and in love. You will find no such chance in the house of Slytherin."

.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-

Draco's heart pounded in his throat. His Father had seem him, and briefly issued a few backhanders and left. Draco had taken the potion, marvelling at the strength it gave him, and changed into some clean black muggle clothes and had used a powerful magnet to slid back the bolts (thankful to the house elf who had oiled in on his mothers request so they wouldn't scrap). He now stood into the cool kitchen, the silver box in his hand, the huge rucksack magically light. As if on cue, a house elf came through the back door and held it open bowing low, winking conspiratorially. Draco wished he had time to thank it but instead stepped out into the shadows. He crept around the edge of the courtyard, careful to stay in the shadows until he was out of sight of the windows. After that he ran, a careful eye on his watch to make sure he was moving fast enough. The potion seemed to keep fatigue at bay so he did not tire.

Eventually, he reached the end of the Malfoy land, and saw a pale blue glowing line marking the divide between Malfoy and muggle, monitoring all things that crossed it. He bent and picked up a stone and threw it across the line onto the dirt track road. As it passed the border there was a small purple flash as the line registered what crossed it. Draco sighed in defeat. As soon as he crossed that line, his father would know he'd escaped and instantly Apparate to his side and stun him. He sighed again and thought how he could make a fast escape once he reached the other side. A leaf drifted over the line from a nearby tree and again there was a flash of purple. Purple. The Knight Bus! He could go on the Knight Bus. He took the bag off and opened it trusting to find his wand. He did and put the silver box inside at the same time before remounting the bag on his back and jumping across the line, his wand arm stretched out. This time the line glowed red as he passed over it and he could have sworn he heard a faint alarm go off, before the silence off the night was ruined as a triple decked bus clattered to a halt in front of him. He stepped trying not to curl his lip at the violent shade of purple. Ernie Prang smile faltered when he saw Draco's bruised face but his smile returned as Draco dropped four galleons from his pocket on to the counter.

"Not a word to anyone that I'm here, please." He murmured quietly. Ernie nodded, knowing by instinct not to ask why.

"Where to?"

"Anywhere. I don't care. Just as long as it's far away from here." Ernie nodded and Draco took the bed behind the driver. A bell went, and the bus disappeared with a loud crack and stopped on a muggle bus stop as three witches got on. He listened to their quiet exchange and put his head back on the pillow. They swerved through a school playground and came out on a side street. Draco sat up to watch the world go by, forcing himself not to laugh as a whole house jumped over the bus to avoid a crash. The bell rung again.

"Er..Sir?" Came Ernie's voice nervously. "Sir, I'll let you out here. That was a call from your house. Would you like a refund?" Draco stood up suddenly alert and alarmed. There was a loud bang and the bus changed location again before coming to a halt in a quiet suburban street.

"Keep the money and thank you." Draco said, getting off the bus. "I'm sorry if you have to face the brunt of Father's anger."

"That's ok, lad. You just stay safe." Ernie replied as the doors slid shut. Draco looked around. He was in a tidy suburban street that was well light by street lamp, and probably hadn't even heard of witchcraft. He scowled knowing that all use of magic would be glaringly obvious to the Ministry of Magic, and therefore stupid and impossible. His heart began to sink and he began to mindlessly walk until he found a park. He sat down on a wooden bench and watched a snowy white owl hunting over the long grass behind the swings. He continued watching it for a while before he realized what he was seeing. A snowy owl, and snowy owls didn't live in Britain. Since Harry Potter got his owl, white owls had become something of a fashion around Hogwarts. He warily glanced around, then reached into his bag and pulled out some food. As he bit savagely into a ham and tomato sandwich, the owl caught a mouse and flew up into a nearby tree.

After a while it took flight. Draco stood up and ran after it. He managed to keep it insight for three streets until it flew over a house and disappeared. He followed it round the corner into a new street and sighed as it was nowhere in sight. He sat down on the curb, defeated, lost and tired when a stone whizzed past his ear. He stood up and glared almost hopefully in the direction it came from.

_'Please be a wizard'_ he thought.

.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

**Authors Notes.**

Sorry the update took so long! I'm not renowned for my timekeeping skills, merely the lack of them. ;-) Enjoy!

ObsidianSnowEyes 

.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-

A gang of boys was advancing on him glaring menacingly. Draco, having been brought up under the belief that muggles were pathetic and no real threat, ignored them as soon as he saw their designer shirts. No wizard would bother with designer clothes, because they so rarely wore them. His lip automatically curled and a disgusted look filled his face.

"Who you?" The boy in the front, that appeared to be the leader grunted.

"Dra –"His father knew people everywhere, he wasn't foolish enough to use his real name. "Drake…Potter!" He said, relying on the first name he thought of to give him his surname. Shock appeared on both his and the gang members face. What had he just said?

"You know where you are 'Drake'?" The bully asked stepping forward cracking his knuckles. Draco was struck by the boy's resemblance to Goyle, only blonde, and not so square headed.

"No." Draco replied, slipping his hand into his pocket for his wand. "England?"Oh, boys, it seems Potter's a smart-arse." A small drip of perspiration formed on Draco's head as he realized his wand wasn't there, leaving him essentially defenceless.

"Teach 'im a lesson, Big D!" someone shouted.

"Yea, show him what you're made of, man!" The gang crowed, forming an inescapable circle around the pair. Draco tried to clear his thoughts enough to plan an escape, and kept hitting fuzzy grey walls of panic.

"You, boy" 'Big D' began, throwing a punch, "Are on our turf. This our patch." He threw another that hit Draco's jaw with a painful crunch. "And Potters are defiantly **_NOT _**welcome." The last thing Draco felt was a size 8 boot slamming into his stomach, and the cold greeting of the pavement. As the light faded from his eyes, something warm and wet that felt awfully like saliva landed on his cheek.

.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-

Harry Potter stood in the shadows round the corner from the crowd. He watched the gang, his emerald eyes narrowed, helpless anger burning in his veins. He couldn't stop them, they'd beat him up too, and as always he'd end up in some strange place or at the police station they charged with assault, and as he had already been caught twice since the start of the summer holidays. Harry glanced at his watch. The face of the clown Dudley used to like watching leered back at him. He had hated it every day of his life, and frequently blamed it for his situation but was yet to find a spell to remove it. The temper rose more and more with every second of waiting. He couldn't believe Dudley was beating up a girl, who from his view had done nothing more than sit on the curb.

The pack of bullies moved away from prone figure and turned the corner, their jeers still echoing around the empty street. Harry walk up to the figure, and gasped in shock. It was not a girl as he had first thought. It was Draco Malfoy.

He knelt down and examined Draco's face; he was barely recognizable under the fresh blood and bruises, and had a nasty cut on his head. Harry sighed. If he left his nemesis here, then he might get abducted or raped, or worse die, but if he took him back to number 4, and got him past the Dursleys, a possible Death Eater could be in his home. And then if his aunt and uncle found out…Harry sighed and bent down and picked up the unconscious teen. Whatever the consequences, he had to do what was right, he thought. He would simply take Draco home sneak in really quietly using the spare backdoor key hidden in the second flower pot on the right in the front garden, and go quietly into his room. He sighed. If only it was that easy.

The misshapen silhouette of the two boys travelled past the many houses and turned up a neat drive. Harry, surprised by the lightness of Draco's limp form, was able to walk quite quickly. He slipped round the side of the garden but was stopped by raised voices. As he edged towards the back door, the voices were defiantly louder. Damn, he cursed, he'd have to use the front door. He crept back round the front of the house, grabbed the spare key and slipped in, forced to gentle drop Draco's legs to close the door quietly. Soon, however, he realized he needn't have bothered keeping quiet, as the shouting filled the house, but didn't leave anything to chance and quickly picked up Draco's legs and ran up the stairs, careful not to bang Draco's head against the wall. He entered his room at a speed akin to a run, slammed the door, placed his nemesis gently on his bed, and took a moment to marvel the peaceful look on his bruised face.

The shouting stopped, and heavy footsteps thundered up the stairs. Harry rushed to his door to prevent anyone coming in and shut it quickly managing to make it look like he needed the loo. He was confronted immediately by Uncle Vernon's large purple face.

"You're late." He growled, his fierce eyes boring into Harry's.

"It's only ten thirty. Yesterday Dudley came in at half eleven and he wasn't." Harry said, not really caring anymore, but knowing he had to look like he did.

"Dudley is my son, and he shall do what he likes!" His Uncle yelled instantly flaring up. "You however are a worthless rat, and will do as I say!"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon." Harry sighed; hoping that if he gave in his Uncle would leave him alone quickly so he could tend to Draco's wounds.

"And you're late, aren't you?"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon."

"And you'll wash the car, make breakfast and clean Dudley's room tomorrow as a punishment, won't you?"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon." Harry responded mechanically without thinking. Uncle Vernon's eyes narrowed and Harry's hand tightened on the doorknob. The two glared at each other with intense venom. Suddenly, the tension snapped as Petunia came upstairs.

"Vernon, Dudley wishes to continue this matter before his bedtime." She said, her tone and eyes soft as she looked at her husband. Then she noticed Harry. "You boy! What are you doing up so late?" Harry was always amazed at the way she switched form caring mother to queen bitch in mere milliseconds when she saw him.

"I was…" Harry began

"Nonsense! I heard you come in you filthy little liar. You're grounded as from tomorrow until I say so. Usual rules, one meal a day, two bathroom breaks, etc. Do a week of that and then you can leave your room for housework but not the house for a further two weeks. Be in bed in half an hour, you can shower in the morning, and I will come up to check. Come downstairs, Vernon, don't let him stress you, I'll make you a cup of tea."

The couple turned and walked down the stairs and he only moved away from his bedroom door when he heard the kitchen door slam. The went into the bathroom and washed, then filled a small bowl with warm water, grabbed a new flannel out the packet (his Aunt insisted flannels were foul and must be changed twice a month) and grabbed a tube of antiseptic cream, bottle of pain killers and a box of plasters and bandages.

He carefully made sure the coast was clear before tiptoeing back across the hall to his room. He found Draco was still unconscious lying on the bed. Harry sighed and sat down next to him, placing the items he'd stolen from the bathroom cabinet on his bedside table. He dipped the flannel into the warm water, and began to wash the dried blood off his enemy's face, shocked that the Slytherin looked so pale and tired. After Harry had washed his face, he moved on to the bruises on his neck, and then to the scratches on his hands. He was just dabbing antiseptic on some of the bigger cuts when Draco started to wake up. Concern creased Harry's brow, and he stopped his work to study Draco's face.

The pale boys eyes gradually opened, wincing, even though it wasn't very light. Draco became aware of his hands stinging as somebody rubbed something into them and then of somebody scrutinizing over his face.

Not daring to open his eyes, he let out a small silent sigh, and tried to predict whose hands where now tenderly unbuttoning his shirt.

"Mother? What are you doing?" He whispered hoarsely his eyes still shut.

There was a shocked gasp, and he felt slim fingers lightly tracing patterns on his chest.

"You've been unconscious. I don't know how long for. Your covered in bruises and scars, I'm trying to fix you up as best I can."

"What do you mean unconscious? Father can't have been that angry. I can't remember him laying into me that much. What did I do wrong? Does this mean I'm not allowed some food today, then?" Then hands moved away "By the way, Mother, you may consider taking some of that potion yourself, your voice sounds almost and croaking as mine."

"Malfoy, open your eyes. I'm not your mother."

'Malfoy', Draco's sleep fogged mind wondered, who on earth called him Malfoy? Draco's silver eyes flew open as sudden comprehension dawned. He gasped, grabbing his shirt and trying to stand.

"POTTER!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Harry Potter because I did, Remus and Sirius would be together, as would Harry and Draco, and Ron and Snape would be dead by now… Or maybe Snape could be a substitute if Draco ever died…Also, if I owned Harry Potter it wouldn't be called Harry Potter, and it certainly wouldn't be a kid's book.

**Authors Notes.**

Sorry the update took so, so, so, so, SO long! And this goes out with a 'thank you' hug to Reth because it was her reviewing that got to send me a email reminding me that I am WAY overdue on the update front! That, and the first part of this was written late last year(ish, I think) and the second half was written very recently. Like today. Please forgive the errors!

Obsidian-Snow-Eyes

.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-

The Dursley's sat in their non-descript living room gazing at the television with wide, glassy eyes. It was almost an evening routine after Dudley came home, they would watch the news and Aunt Petunia would make her 'little man' supper. Uncle Vernon would wait for Aunt Petunia to go to bed, before smiling at his son, and listening to a the tales of his night. Of course Dudley could be entirely truthful, made himself seem heroic and brave, but his father enjoyed hearing of ways he should have misspent his youth. There was silence as Dudley opened his mouth to begin.

"POTTER!"

A cry rang out and the large man jumped to his feet. Dudley glanced nervously at the ceiling.

"Shh!' Harry hissed, wincing at the noise. "Please don't shout. I haven't hurt you."

"I'll shout if I bloody want to, Potter." Draco hissed, trying to it up and falling back in pain. "Get the hell away from me! HELP! HELP!" The blonde boy yelled at the top of his voice, pushing Harry away with all the force he could muster. There was a rapid pounding of feet on the stairs.

"Boy, what are you doing? Are you trying to wake the street?" Harry turned, gasping. There was something wild and desperate in his eyes, like an animal cornered in the stinking car park of a pub. He grabbed something from his trunk and threw it over Draco, pushing him off the bed, and onto the floor. Draco cried out in pain, and was about to shout when a horse, frightened whisper shocked him into silence.

"Please, Malfoy, stay quiet and don't move." Sweat was pouring off the dark haired boy now, and his broken glasses slid down the end of his nose, almost falling. Harry's mouth hung open in a breathless pant. His pupils were dilated with fear.

The door flew open with a large bang. Harry winced at the sound, and spun around. Uncle Vernon, puce-faced and bearing down on Harry, his piggy little eyes suspicious, was the size of a bull. Harry gulped. He never liked what that look invariably prophesised.

"What were you doing, boy?" The man hissed; his face so close to Harry's, there was barely a wand-width between their noses.

"I had a bad dream…"Harry lied quickly. Too quickly. Uncle Vernon's bushy eyebrows narrowed, and a smile appeared on his round face. There was no way Petunia's sister's boy would ever admit that unless he was hiding something worse.

"You're hiding something." It was a growl. Harry shook his head. "You were contacting your freakish friends weren't you? You found some way of talking to them, didn't you? That voice wasn't your own, it must have been one of them!" Harry was shaking his head profusely now, and Draco suddenly felt sorry for him. He was scared too, but he was also safe, although only by Potter's doing. The horrible growling voice continued. Harry let a few of the blow with out squirming before finally gasping, defeated.

"Alright, please…" Harry murmured. "They contacted me, and it went wrong. I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"A likely story." Uncle Vernon sneered, backing off. "Very well. If you've done…something like that, then that freak-show you attend won't want you back." He smiled evilly, and shut the door. Harry heard the lock kick, but no footsteps retreated away. He was surprised when the Slytherin didn't demand to speak. The house was silent. Harry heard a car go past in a nearby street, and a gentle breeze rustle the bushes of the garden. Finally, heavy footstep receded down the hall, and a door slammed. Harry often wondered how different his evenings would be if Aunt Petunia didn't take a sleeping pill. The room stayed silent. Nothing moved.

Harry let out a sigh, as the bed next to him sunk under an invisible weight. Draco Malfoy's head appeared.

"What was all that?" He asked quietly. Harry stood up and walked to the window, looking out into the urban night. Things were never completely dark in the suburbs. The blonde boy reclined on the bed and waited for an answer.

"Those, Malfoy, were muggles of the foulest kind. Most of them are a lot nicer than that." He sighed. "That one also happens to be my Uncle."

Draco raised a thin eyebrow. He'd never had an Uncle before; it was Malfoy tradition to only bear one son per generation. If that was what they were like, he definitely didn't want one. Harry sighed again and watched his owl fly over the rooftops towards him.

"We need to be going to sleep." He murmured wearily, walking over to the wardrobe. "Do you have clothes?"

.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-

"Why he isn't here, Narcissa?" Lucius Malfoy roared, anger flaring from his icy eyes. The door to Draco's chamber swung open with a bang. "Gone! He's gone. And Severus will arrive soon."

"I know nothing. I only spoke to him this afternoon, and then he was too tired to properly respond. He must have done it on his own."

She watched her husband's shoulders sag slightly. She was always his weakness, but she could never lie to him. And she wasn't. To her knowledge she had gone into her son's room after speaking with her husband, come out, bolted him in and taken a long bath. She didn't remember the memory charm, so the words from her mouth where what she thought was the truth.

"Severus will be angry, I'll postpone dinner until tomorrow. We'll have to tell him Draco still refuses. Act like he's still here. Put one of the house elves in there so if he tries to listen at the door he can at least hear breathing, and maybe some moans of pain. We can't let He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named know about this."

Narcissa nodded, and leant forward to kiss her husband. Ever since he'd left Hogwarts, his life had been a battle between what he wanted to do, and what the Dark Lord wanted him to do. He'd wanted to marry Narcissa, and although the Dark Lord of the match, he didn't think Lucius had asked for permission so as a penalty, the Dark Lord had demanded the loyalty of their son. It had killed Lucius to do it, but she had persuaded him. Better to have her son alive than both her men dead. Lucius sighed heavily.

"We need to get him back…At any cost, he must marry Severus Snape."

.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-

The next morning, Harry Potter woke up aching, but blissfully unaware that there was a body in the bed next to him separated by a barrier of books and pillows. He was warm and didn't feel so crushingly alone, but he could remember why. He sighed and stood up, walking over to Hedwig's empty cage. He didn't see the need of caging an animal in the same way the Dursley's caged him, so let the bird free in his room, so long as she always returned to her cage to excrete. Her favourite perch, where she currently sat, was on top the wardrobe in the shadows of the corner where the sun never quite reached. Harry sighed and opened his wardrobe.

When Draco awoke he sensed something was wrong. The air smell wrong, the bed too small and something hard dug into the small of his back. He frowned and sat up, opening his eyes. The room was small, full of ugly furniture. The invisibility cloak slid off him, and that was when he remembered where he was. He found himself alone. Where was the stupid Gryffindor git now?

He yawned leisurely and got out of bed, walking towards the wardrobe. _Let's see what he wears under those robes…_ Malfoy thought with a smile. When he opened the wardrobe however, he was disappointed. Not only was the wardrobe half empty, everything was old and faded, in ugly colours and patterns. Malfoy scowled. The boy dressed worse than a Weasley, and it wasn't like he didn't have the money not to. Another sigh escaped his lips when he caught sight of his rucksack lying innocently at the bottom. He picked it up with a victorious smirk. At least _he_ didn't have to dress like a house elf.

Harry finished making breakfast for the Dursley's and returned to his room. Even being grounded didn't stop them form wanting a slave. It did however stop Harry from getting his portion, and force him to steal a few cereal bars when the Dursleys left him with the washing up. After that he took a quick shower and returned to his bedroom under the watchful eyes of Aunt Petunia, who had come rattling on the bathroom door the moment he turned the shower on.

He shut the door behind himself, and tried not to yell as a very naked Malfoy threw something at his head.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

**Disclaimer**: Harry Potter is not my property. If he were, I'd handcuff him a bed and sell him to fan girls.

**Authors Notes.**

**The evil idea to turn this into a Snarry fic has dawned in my mind…evil laugh I won't, because I prefer Harry/Draco, but it doesn't stop me playing with the idea. He, he, D the possibilities… Enjoy! And please review!!! Hugs and puppies if you can guess Snape's secret! (I am so mean to that poor bastard.) Enjoy! **

Obsidian-Snow-Eyes

.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-

"Malfoy!" Harry gasped, blushing red and turning around snapping his eyes shut.

"Knock before entering, Potter." Draco said, fastening up a pair of tight black jeans. "We're not all Gryffinwhores here."

"This is my room, Malfoy! Why are you naked?" Harry scowled, risking a glance over his shoulder. "I can throw you out at any time. Are you done?"

Draco pulled an emerald green t-shirt over his head and nodded, then sighed loudly.

"Yes, Potter, I am. I was naked because I was changing clothes. People with good hygiene do it quite regularly, you know. And you won't throw me out. Where's the nearest bathroom?"

"And just why wouldn't I throw you out Malfoy?" Harry snapped, picking up the thrown book before turning around and crossing the room to his desk. Draco sat on the bed and watched him, a self-assured smile playing across his face.

"Potter, don't be naïve. You won't throw me out because you're a Gryffindor git. If you cared enough to scrape me off whatever street you found me on and drag me back here, you aren't going to throw me out until I'm healed and have somewhere to go."

Harry growled; tempted to threaten again but irritated the Slytherin was right. _Bloody arrogant bastard._

"So why don't you have somewhere else to go?" He asked with a little too much venom, sitting on the chair and turning to look at his guest.

Draco scowled.

"If you tell me what last night was about, I'll tell you why I'm homeless."

Harry considered this for a moment and nodded. "Fair enough, but you go first Malfoy."

"Why should I?"

"Because I'm a Gryffindor. You can trust me to keep my word."

"Alright, fine." Draco scowled and played with a strand of his platinum hair. "Although won't they get suspicious if they hear too much talking?"

"My uncle's at work, my Aunt will be cleaning or visiting her mother and Dudley will be in front the TV until lunch times. Oh, here – breakfast." Harry reached into his pocket and threw a cereal bar to Draco, who looked at it dumbly. Harry rolled his eyes, barely veiling amusement.

"It's cereal." He said. "You eat it."

The Slytherin prince glared at him, scowling. "Cereal comes in a bowl. Wet."

Harry smiled grimly. "Not in this house."

Draco sighed and opened his packet. "I've runaway." He began, looking out the window. "I'm supposed to marry Professor Snape. These-" He vaguely gestured to the marks on his face, "were my father's desperate attempt to persuade me after all else had failed. He wouldn't have done it otherwise."

"Why would you marry Snape?"

"I was promised as a child. Someone powerful influenced the match, and I can hardly back out now."

Harry nodded, understanding what the blonde didn't say. "Will it matter though? I mean, can't Snape marry somebody else? Wait…is gay marriage legal for wizards? Gods, is Snape gay?" Harry gasped, his eyes growing as wide as Galleons. His voice lowered to a conspiring tone, barely a whisper. "Are you gay?"

Draco rolled his eyes. Maybe who you shagged was a bigger deal in Gryffindor, he didn't know. He just never expected Harry to be so naïve.

"I'll answer those in order, Potter. Firstly, of course, it matters. Do you honestly think that they will stop looking for me until I marry him or die? Secondly, Snape can't marry anybody else because…. because he only wants to marry me. I suppose that would make him gay, yes. And the wizarding way of marriage or childbearing has never had any relation to gender, so naturally it's perfectly legal." He stood up and stretched, yawning loudly. "And now I really need the loo. Directions?"

"Wear my cloak when my Aunt lets me out after lunch, and get to the third door on the right before me, then back to my room before she locks me in."

Draco looked at him. "Are you serious?"

"I'm sorry, maybe I forgot to say. I was late in yesterday, so I'm grounded for a week."

"So when's lunch?"

"Whenever food comes through the hatch," He answered, pointing at the cat-flap in his door.

"They treat you like a criminal…" Draco murmured, suddenly struck with a pang pity. No matter how violent his father had got, it was rare and he could always see the reason. It was always logical. With these muggles and Harry, there didn't seem to be much reason at all.

"So what do you do all day?"

"I study. Hermione always gives me some large, heavy spell book for my birthday. That usually gives me plenty to read."

Draco wrinkled his nose.

"Studying without magic…how dull. The must be something exciting to do around here…" He trailed off and looked around the room. So this was how the famous Harry Potter was forced to live… He could imagine the gleeful grinning faces of his housemates' at the revelation that Harry got treated worse than a house-elf by his own blood relatives. He'd be a laughing stock for months. The blonde sighed and watched Harry start flicking through a heavy magical textbook with and unreadable look on his face. Somehow, the Slytherin didn't think he would be able to do it.

By the time Aunt Petunia pushed a bowl of soup and two slices of dry bread through the cat-flap, the two boys had both become very irritated, breaking into argument more than once. Draco was sprawled over Harry's bed, trying to sleep but complaining loudly about everything, especially his rapidly filling bladder. Harry sat at his desk making furious notes, doing his best to ignore the irritating Slytherin and sprung up when he heard the footsteps approach, glad for the opportunity to move.

Malfoy looked at the food, his nose wrinkled. "Is that all they feed you?" He asked.

Harry just shrugged and took a bite out of one of the pieces of bread. The blonde boy stood and walked over, picking up the other slice of bread and poking it into the soup.

"It tastes like metal. And it's cold."

Again, Harry just shrugged and picked up the bowl draining just under half of the soup.

"Hurry up and stay quiet. My aunt will be back soon." Draco sighed dramatically and finished eating before throwing the cloak over himself. "Remember to be back in here before I am."

Just over twenty minutes later Aunt Petunia returned and opened the door, glaring at Harry for being an inconvenience, yet again. Harry felt a small rush of wind as Draco brushed past him and he walked slowly to the bathroom, and shut the door. The blonde boy was already in there and glared for the Gryffindor to turn his back.

.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-

When fairly considered, Severus Snape wasn't a bad man. He was dark, certainly, and he was lonely, but that didn't make him a thoroughly bad person when he looked at himself in the cracked, grimy mirror of Spinner's End. He sighed and shook his head.

He was pathetic. Ugly. The only way for him to find love was to force it. With one of his students, no less. One of his male students. He was a pervert, hankering after something he could ever have. He sighed again and rubbed his face tiredly. It wasn't what he wanted. When he was young, he'd wanted a wife, children, a life of joy and prosperity. Now he was older he laughed at that optimism. These days all he wanted was to be left alone with his secrets and die peacefully somewhere unnoticed. As soon as the war was won, by whichever side, he planned to go to some hot, far off country, maybe Italy, and live out his days alone in the warmth. Even if he had to marry the Malfoy boy to do it.

He returned to his kitchen, cursing silently to himself as the fire in his grate turned green and a rapidly revolving figure came into sight. Snape caught a flash of white blonde haired and scowled, aiming his wand at the kettle.

"Afternoon, Severus." The tall Malfoy said stepping out of the fireplace and brushing soot of his emerald green room. Only in his own home did he manage to lose that sneer of disappreciation that marred his handsome features. "I want to discuss the formalities of the wedding. Residency and so on."

The potions master nodded wearily and sat down, gesturing for his guest to follow suite, and then suddenly changed his mind. He faked a glance at his watch, a crude muggle device, and frowned. The blonde haired man caught his look.

"How long will this take, Lucius? I'm brewing a very important potion for his Lordship, and it will need my attention very shortly."

The cold grey eyes glared for a second, then softened slightly.

"Of course." The figure stood up cordially, and nodded. "Another time then. My wife has invited you to a dinner ball tomorrow. We had some family unexpectedly arrive."

Severus nodded. "Please tell Narcissa I am grateful for her invitation and would be delighted to attend." He lied smoothly. There was a moment's pause, before Snape realised that was supposed to speak again. "And Draco? Will he attend?"

"Regretfully, no. He has become ill with something unusual but the medi-wizards have seen to him."

Severus nodded. At least he'd be saved from awkward small talk. The younger Malfoy probably hated him now, and with good reason. "Give him my regards."

-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-''-.,.-

Harry Potter stood in his room, furious rage coursing through his narrow veins. The bastard hadn't come back. He'd taken his father's Cloak and escaped. How could Harry have trusted him so easily! He was such a fool! He should have been ready, expecting this type of thing, from a _Slytherin. _And not just any old Slytherin, Draco Malfoyno less. Where was his common sense! All those things he'd said, that Draco had seen – he'd surely be made a fool as soon as they both stepped back on the train in September.

Harry threw himself down on the bed, cursing his own stupidity, slamming his eyes shut in a last attempt to escape the world.

**Please review to guess Professor Snape's secret! I'd love to know what you think! If anyone gets it, I'll write him or her a prize!**


End file.
